The Shadows of The Beasts

“The truth is not dismissed by your commands, Thomas. Cosmo died because of your greed, as did Brenda Crenshaw, Michael King, and Shelly Johnson, and Donavan Draken and others who were surrounded by your desires for power and money. How many have died since then, Thomas, on your rise to power? And now you wish to add Carl Jordan to the pile of corpses you climb. Who is next, Thomas? Your family lives in mortal terror of you now. Your associates fear you not, but you all dig into each others lives when you feel none can see to find the bit of dirt that will push you just a little bit higher. And higher to what, Thomas, to the point where you can stand at the right hand of your ‘god’? You honestly believe he cares about you, don’t you?” “I SAID SHUT UP!!” “Is it my words, Thomas, which upset you so? Or is it the fact they resonate truth off your very consciousness and soul? You have known of the truth your entire life, yet you bow before the Beast itself and do anything-including murder, betrayal, and assist in genocide, just to have what you desire. To be in service to the Abominations who now rule this planet. Thomas, they would toss you aside at their least whim and leave you to lay on the funeral pyres you have helped build for them. Just one error; there is no forgiveness from the likes of them.” “OH!” Thomas jumped to his feet and confronted his prisoner. “So I should just drop to my knees and scream to God and Lovely Jesus how sorry I am. And then what, Mark? Am I to hope a flight of angels will come to sing me sweet songs while I find myself on the streets alone, homeless, in poverty, waiting to be picked up by the next Compliance Patrol? Is that what I should do now-huh?” “It does not matter what you do now, Thomas Thorpe,” the reply slipped almost like a whisper from Logan’s lips. “Your die is caste, and only The Most High himself can change that, but by His own words, He will not. It was all there in front of your eyes, in your ears, even within your heart once. Now, it is all gone. All you have left is the cold comfort of what you sought. Let your power and money keep you safe from nightmares in the darkness and warm your heart when it yearns for love.” “What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” Thorpe hissed in rage. Logan’s hand shot forward and grabbed the Inquisitor’s wrist with surprising strength. He lifted the trapped hand towards Thomas’ face so he could see the indentation within the flesh. “THIS is why it doesn’t matter!” Mark shouted. “You took his oath and his mark upon you-into you-and swore nothing else mattered but him. You renounced every single thing your heart told you was the truth and embraced a lie. You swore allegiances to the Beasts and to the fate of the Beasts you shall find yourself with them! You are the walking damned now. What you do with the remainder of your life now matters not, because you have sealed what is to come after this life with your very blood and soul.” “Let me go!” Thomas tried to pull his arm free, but Logan had a grip of steel in his remaining hand. Thorpe became more agitated as he tried to twist himself loose. “You are now a child of the Beast and there is no mercy for those who embrace it so totally. You will share their fate-forever. You will burn for what will feel like years but in the places where time actually matters hardly a second will have passed. The fire is never quenched and the worm never dies. It only burns more and more.” Thomas finally pulled free of the grip and staggered back to his side of the table. His hand flowed smoothly into his coat and pulled the 9mm free from its holster. Training took over as he drew a bead on a spot between Mark’s eyes and began to squeeze the trigger. “Story time is OVER!”